It just wasn’t John Erickson’s day. He walked into Wednesday night’s West Hollywood Beverly Hills Democratic Club endorsement vote with the committee behind him. He left without the endorsement.
The club’s interview committee had recommended Erickson for the California State Senate District 24 race. It didn’t matter. When the membership voted, Erickson pulled 56%. The club’s bylaws require 60% to endorse.
Someone then moved to endorse Brian Goldsmith. That motion got 59%. One point short.
The club endorsed nobody.
One member who attended told WEHOonline the result amounted to a striking rebuke given the effort the Erickson campaign had made to mobilize supporters inside the club ahead of the vote.
Steve Martin, a former West Hollywood mayor who attended the meeting, said the result should not have happened. “This should have never happened,” he said. “Erickson had [the] home field advantage.”
Multiple members who spoke against Erickson referenced issues with his past behavior, behavior described as “disrespectful and insulting.” Some of the animosity, Martin said, can be traced back to the Fountain Avenue bike lane fight and how Erickson managed the debate. That project remains one of the most divisive issues in recent West Hollywood history.
Even some of Erickson’s own supporters in the room appeared blindsided. One member told WEHOonline that former West Hollywood Mayor Abby Land, who backs Erickson, seemed “shocked” by the animosity toward him.
It was a notable outcome given the club is headquartered in the councilmember’s own city and Goldsmith is a relative newcomer to local politics. A local Democratic club endorsement in the heart of SD-24 is exactly the kind of credentialing a candidate from West Hollywood is supposed to be able to count on. One that was rumored to be in the bag – until it wasn’t.
West Hollywood Councilmember Lauren Meister spoke against the committee’s recommendation before the vote. She was brief. “We can do better,” Meister said. That was it.
Meister had already made her position pretty clear earlier the same day. She publicly endorsed Goldsmith Wednesday, calling him politically savvy without being a career politician and saying he’d “play well with others.” Her colleague Erickson is the one running against him.
Goldsmith is a Beverly Hills-based Democratic consultant and journalist and a first-time candidate. He’s raised more than $2 million in the race, more than any of the other 13 candidates. His endorsers include Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Pete Buttigieg. Erickson’s include four of the five LA County supervisors and the California Teachers Association.
Martin put it plainly. “He’s got trouble in his own backyard,” he said.
The SD-24 primary is June 2.
Related Coverage
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Meet Brian Goldsmith, Beverly Hills Candidate Running for Ben Allen’s State Senate Seat
Councilmember Erickson Launches Bid for State Senate
Complaint Challenges John Erickson Ballot Designation as SD-24 Filing Deadline Passes
Endorsements by Clinton, Buttigieg, and Pelosi are toxins to anybody who’s not a corporate Democrat. Does he also take AIPAC money?
Vote for the young man with experience, Zennon Ulyate-Crow.
In the 1980’s I was a young law student and a Republican (still am but I have no party) and back then I worked for two Minority Leaders, one Governor, a former President and a sitting President – briefly. Over the years I have realized how bankrupt both my party and the CAGOP have become bankrupt and lost. I recall, based on my assumption that voters are poorly informed, I would run for a seat on the party’s Los Angeles Central Committee and paid the fee, got a hundred friends to sign my docs to get on the ballot and… Read more »
I neglected to mention my name was at the top of the ballot. That speaks volumes about voters. They didn’t know me but over 3000 people voted for me only because my name was at the top.
I think you’re a little confused. Reagan gave a speech about why he left the Democratic party and the quote was literally “I didn’t leave the Democratic party, the Democratic party left me.” Reagan never left the GOP from the time he switched in the 60’s.
Don’t ever confuse education and the acquisition of advanced degrees with intelligence, critical thinking or even common sense.
The reality is literally no one can stand John Erickson. Personally and professionally he is rotten. The only reason he is advancing is he has the Horvath wind in his sails. Otherwise he’d be on a greyhound back to wherever on the Michigan glove he slithered in from.
I can.
Well, well, well… What goes around comes around. Thrilled to see Erickson get exactly what he deserves.
The club is actually headquartered in both West Hollywood AND Beverly Hills, not just West Hollywood. Brian Goldsmith lives in Beverly Hills so technically, it was Brian’s home club too. The club splitting its votes makes sense since it has two “home candidates”, not just one.
I looked at the club’s past endorsements. They didn’t endorse Danny Hang in 2024 but he still won the election and they endorsed Mike Feuer for Congress in 2024 (Friedman won).
The club does great work and has great people. Their history of endorsements do not always align with election outcomes however.
Whomever the author of this article is, they should be more professional and less catty. Bylines please!
I am happily surprised this happened. Humble pie is sometimes necessary. I hope more voters will begin to understand the political system and know how votes are trying to be bought and opinions swayed.
Well he shouldn’t have ignored so many good loyal West Hollywood residents trying to protect their historic and unique neighborhoods. Now let’s reverse the City Council to truly represent all of us.
So, the Democratic Club didn’t endorse a bully,-clown- former non binary and self proclaimed Latino when he needs it- John Erickson? Shocking! And what’s even more shocking is that Abby Land is shocked! Shocked! about the animosity against Erickson. Give us a break! Vote Him OUT!
Karma’s a bitch.
Not sure if this is good news because if Erickson stays in WeHo, he will keep destroying the city, silencing and mocking residents and kowtowing to developers. Unfortunately, the alternative of his corrupt clownish idiocy going to Sacramento is terrifying. Can he just disappear? The only ones who would miss him are developers. VOTE HIM OUT!
We can pick off his sycophants one by one and destroy Erickson’s control of the City Council. First up, let’s vote Chelsea Byers out!
She’s mentored and tutored by Andrew Solomon aka Texas Andy. Get rid of him on the Planning Commission then she goes well.
Hobson’s choice